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The Houston Texans completed their Week 1 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens with a 25-9 loss in M&T Bank Stadium.
Houston showed signs of promise during the first game of its 2023 campaign. 10 Texans finished Sunday's loss with at least one reception. Receiver Nico Collins, a former third-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, led Houston with 80 receiving yards on six receptions. The Texans added a total of 72 rushing yards, including 38 from running back Dameon Pierce.
Texans cornerback Steven Nelson picked off a pass from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the first quarter, diving to intercept a short pass intended for Baltimore receiver Zay Flowers on third and six near Houston's 15-yard line. The one-time All-Pro selection ended the night 169 passing yards and one interception.
“Everything, the command, the flow of the game, I think everything went fairly smoothly with our flow of the game,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said, via Texans Insider and Lead Writer Deepi Sidhu. “And it's just one game at a time. I told our guys this is no point to hang our head or be sad about it. Like you got to make plays to win in this league and it's tough to make plays, but we don't hang our head about it.
“We don't whine about it. What are we learning from this outing that we had today? It was not good enough and everybody knows that. So how do we do something about it to make the change?”
How did Texans quarterback CJ Stroud fare during Houston's matchup with the Ravens on Sunday?
CJ Stroud finished the matchup with 242 passing yards and 28 completions on 44 pass attempts. The former Ohio State quarterback tacked on 20 rushing yards on four carries. He lost a fumble in the fourth quarter. He caught his own first career pass after it was deflected by Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith in the first.
“First time out, C.J. was in a tough place to play, a tough opponent, a lot of things were stacked up against him,” Ryans said, via ESPN Houston Texans reporter DJ Bien-Aime. “But I thought he handled himself well.”
The rookie quarterback said he had to make more plays after Sunday's game.
“I felt like of course, it wasn't what we wanted,” Stroud said, via ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports. “I have to make more plays. We just, really have to get it out on time (and) be better in and out of the huddle. We had some positive things, but we just have to keep going from here and keep getting better.”
CJ Stroud showed poise and promise during his NFL debut despite the pressure being sent his way.
CJ Stroud was sacked five times throughout the course of the game. The Ravens logged six quarterback hits and 19 hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. Baltimore linebacker Odafe Oweh led the Ravens with four hits while adding three hurries. Stroud still found ways to quickly roll out of the pocket or find receivers on short passes, including receiver Robert Woods, who he found on a quick strike in the second quarter. Woods, who signed a two-year contract with the Texans in March, would finish the game with 57 receiving yards on six receptions.
Against a team that finished near the top of the league with 48 total sacks in 2022, CJ Stroud showed he could be a reliable option under center and hold his own when facing pressure during his rookie debut.
